Friday, April 23, 2004

Welcome, welcome, welcome!

I just love blogging, so I've created this second journal section of our website entitled "Fooblog." That is, it's a "Food Blog" wherein I'll post interesting recipes I've come across (or made up) and tried. But sometimes, I may just tell you what we had for dinner.

I was inspired to do this by my mom's new website. (Friends and family, email us for the link!) She has some recipes listed on hers. I realized just how big a part of our lives food is. In fact, growing up, food was always a big deal. And with my mom and I, food is still a huge part of our lives. Just come over to one of our houses and see if you can't leave without having stuffed something in your mouth!

So here's where we share. Do with this what you wish...



The first recipe I'll ever post...

We love bananas, but unfortunately bananas don't always last. So we throw them in the freezer so that one day, they may be served up as banana bread. I almost always make two loaves when I make this bread, for two reasons. One, it's always nice to spring a treat on someone. Two, it uses more of those annoying frozen bananas!

BANANA BREAD (double recipe)

1. Combine the following in a medium sized bowl:3 c. white flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon

2. Mix the following in a separate bowl or food processor:
2 eggs
1-1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce

3. Defrost 5-6 frozen bananas in the microwave. (45 seconds per banana used) They may come out slimy - that's all right! Add these to the bowl or food processor and mix until bananas have been beaten to a chunky pulp.

4. Pour in the flour mixture and mix some more until just combined.

5. Fun additions to put in now: quick oats; chocolate chips; nuts of any kind; Grape Nuts cereal; sunflower seeds

6. Spray two loaf pans with non-stick spray. (Or two 12-ct. muffin pans; or one muffin pan and one loaf pan; or one single loaf pan and one 8 ct. mini loaf pan, or... well, you get the idea.)

7. Pour half of the mixture in each pan. Be sure to sprinkle a few of whatever you added in step 5 on top of the loaf for decoration!

8. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes (depending on what pans you used - muffins and mini-loaves take about 25 minutes) or until a toothpick (if you're most people) or a straw of dried spaghetti (if you're me) comes out clean.

Allow to cool in pans for 10 minutes before removing. Then allow to cool completely before wrapping.

Now does that sound delicious or what?